3:18PM EST December 8. 2012 - Dallas Cowboys nose tackle Josh Brent has been arrested and is being processed on undisclosed charges in Irving, Texas, according to Irving police.

A police spokesman wouldn't confirm any charges until processing is completed later Saturday afternoon. WFAA, a TV station in Dallas-Fort Worth, is reporting Brent will be charged with driving under the influence and manslaughter in a fatal crash.

Tim Beckman, the head coach at the University of Illinois, tweeted Saturday afternoon Cowboys defensive end Jerry Brown, a member of the team's practice squad, has passed away.

Brent and Brown both played at Illinois. Their careers overlapped from 2007-09.

Richie Whitt of CBSDFW.com is reporting the Cowboys players were told Brown died in the accident.

Jones said they are still in process of gathering facts, and that he can't say more at this point.

Brent, 24, is a former supplemental draft selection who has started five games this season in place of injured starting nose tackle Jay Ratliff. Brent was to start this Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals but will not make the trip.

____________________"We are the priests
Of the temples of syrinx
Our great computers
Fill the hollowed halls
We are the priests
Of the temples of syrinx
All the gifts of life
Are held within our walls" 2112 By Rush!!

Cowboys linebacker Jerry Brown has died in an early morning car crash, and Cowboys nose tackle Josh Brent has been charged with intoxication manslaughter in Brown’s death.

The police department in Irving, Texas, has confirmed that Brown died in a crash early this morning and Brent (whose legal name is Josh Price-Brent) was charged.

“Officers at the scene believed alcohol was a contributing factor in the crash; therefore, Price-Brent was asked to perform field sobriety tests,” a statement from the Irving Police Department said. “Based on the results of the tests, along with the officer’s observations and conversations with Price-Brent, he was arrested for driving while intoxicated. He was transported to an area hospital for a mandatory blood draw. Once it was learned that the passenger of his vehicle had died as a result of the crash, Price-Brent was booked into the Irving City Jail on one count of Intoxication Manslaughter.”

Brown and Brent were friends and teammates at Illinois before becoming teammates again with the Cowboys. Brown was 25.

____________________"We are the priests
Of the temples of syrinx
Our great computers
Fill the hollowed halls
We are the priests
Of the temples of syrinx
All the gifts of life
Are held within our walls" 2112 By Rush!!

MLB Hall of Fame catcher Carlton Fisk was arrested for DUI last night in Illinois -- after allegedly driving his truck into the middle of a freakin' corn field ... law enforcement sources tell TMZ.

According to law enforcement sources, the New Lenox PD received a call about a car in the middle of a corn field around 7:20 PM.

When police arrived, officers say they found Fisk behind the wheel of his F-150 -- which had a flat tire -- and he appeared to be fast asleep. We're told cops also found an open vodka bottle in the vehicle.

Fisk was placed under arrest on the scene on suspicion of DUI -- and taken to a nearby hospital for a check-up. We're told he refused a blood alcohol test. His car was impounded.

Fisk was released this morning.

FYI -- Fisk's arrest comes almost exactly 37 years to the day when he hit the 12th inning home run that won Game 6 of the 1975 World Series.

Hall of Fame catcher Carlton Fisk pleaded guilty Thursday to a misdemeanor drunken-driving charge, two months after police found him asleep in his pickup truck in a suburban Chicago cornfield.

Fisk, 64, was sentenced to one year of court supervision and must pay $1,250 in court costs. He also must undergo a drug and alcohol evaluation and counseling.

Fisk's attorney, Stephen White, said in Will County court that Fisk wanted to accept responsibility for what he did.

"He stepped up to the plate," White said.

New Lenox police found Fisk unconscious in the truck on Oct. 22 and said there was an open bottle of vodka on the floor. New Lenox is about 35 miles southwest of downtown Chicago.

Fisk became part of an unforgettable baseball moment while playing for the Boston Red Sox when he belted a 12th-inning home run that won Game 6 of the 1975 World Series. He played 11 seasons with the Red Sox and 13 with the Chicago White Sox.

You just know that f*ckin' lawyer has been waiting for 2 months to use that line.

The last time we heard from linebacker Joey Porter, he was finishing up his 13-year pro career in Arizona last year, where he played just six games and totaled just 16 tackles and one sack. In the offseason, the 35-year-old officially retired as a member of the Steelers organization, where he spent the first eight seasons of his career.Now, according to the Bakersfield Californian, Porter is in jail after having been arrested on Friday on a felony warrant for writing a check with nonsufficient funds.According to police, Porter was pulled over Friday evening in Bakersfield, and it was discovered that Clark County (Nev.) officials had issued a warrant for his arrest. He was booked at 11:26 p.m.According to the Kern County sheriff's office, Porter's anticipated release date is Monday, but that's subject to change.

How in the fuck can he be broke already? Oh, that's right. another guy who liked to hang around in titty bars and casinos. Another genius.

Wow....this was a bad draft class! Rainey had potential. Somebody is losing control of the ship in The Burgh.
Steelers cut RB Chris Rainey after arrest in Florida

3:40p.m. EST January 10, 2013

The Pittsburgh Steelers cut running back Chris Rainey several hours after he was arrested in Gainesville, Fla.on one count of simple battery (dating violence) Thursday morning following an argument with his girlfriend over his cell phone.
"Chris Rainey's actions this morning were extremely disappointing," Steelers General Manager Kevin Colbert said in a statement Thursday afternoon. "Under the circumstances and due to this conduct, Chris will no longer be a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers."

According to a press release from the Gainesville Police Department, Rainey, 24, began pulling the victim from the passenger side of his roommate's vehicle before witnesses observed him slap her across the face with an open hand. After the victim ran away, Rainey allegedly chased her down because his cell phone was in her bag and grabbed the bag, knocking both of them to the ground.

Officer Ben Tobias, spokesman for Gainesville PD, said Rainey admitted to trying to grab the purse to get his phone but denied slapping her.

"We do have at least two witnesses that saw that part of it," he said.
Rainey told police that the woman fell out of the car when he went to reach for her purse and that he chased her after she ran away. The two fell to the ground, Rainey said, when he tried to grab the purse again.

Rainey, who has reportedly been dating the victim for nine months, was arrested by the Gainesville Police Department and transported to Alachua County Jail for booking.
The running back will remain in the Alachua county Jail at least until Friday morning when he will have a first appearance in court, Tobias said.

Rainey went to college in Gainesville, starring as a running back for the University of Florida football team before being selected by the Steelers in the fifth round of the 2012 NFL Draft.

This isn't the first time Rainey has spent time in the Alachua County Jail in relation to his conduct with women. Rainey was arrested on a charge of felony aggravated stalking in September 2010 and accepted deferred prosecution for a lesser charge of misdemeanor stalking after he texted his on-again, off-again girlfriend of three years, "Time to Die bitch."

The victim supported the reduction in charges and released a statement following the conclusion of that case.

"We have known Chris Rainey for three years and never during that time has he displayed any violent or threatening behavior towards us or anyone," she wrote. "His actions that night were out of character for reasons unknown to us, which is why we stood up in court on his behalf."

As he was in 2010, Rainey is being represented by Gainesville attorney Huntley Johnson, who frequently represents current or former UF players in court.
Reached Thursday afternoon, Johnson said he had spoken with Rainey but could not provide comment at this time.

Rainey played a sporadic role in the Steelers backfield as a rookie this season, contributing mostly on special teams, where he returned 39 kicks for 1,035 yards as the team's primary kick returner.

Milton Bradley facing 13 years in prison after spousal abuse charges are filed

By David Brown | Big League Stew – 5 hours ago

Given a choice, Milton Bradley probably would prefer the days when we wrote stories about him raging at umpires or reporters. Bradley's alleged rage at his wife might have much more serious implications on his life.

Bradleyfaces serious prison time — up to 13 years — after city prosecutors in Los Angeles charged him with 13 misdemeanor counts Friday, including assault with a deadly weapon. All of the charges relate to his wife's accusations of spousal abuse.

From the Associated Press:

Bradley's attorney, Harland Braun, says his client denies the charges and contends that his wife made up the allegations.

The couple, who have two children, are separated and in the middle of a contentious divorce.

So that's Milton's side. TMZ has a few more details on the accusations. If they're true, Bradley has acted despicably to say the least:

The charges break down like this: 4 counts of spousal battery, 4 counts of criminal threats, 2 counts of assault with a deadly weapon, 2 counts of vandalism and 1 count of dissuading a witness from making a report.

As TMZ first reported, Milton's wife Monique filed a domestic violence report with the LAPD back in November 2012 ... claiming he tried to choke her, with two hands, when she asked him to stop smoking marijuana in front of their kids.

Bradley was arrested in August 2011 for allegedly attacking Monique with a bat, and in March 2012 he allegedly threatened her with a knife and said, "You’ll be dead b-tch before you divorce me."

Bradley, 34, hasn't played baseball since the Seattle Mariners let him go in 2011, but his skills clearly have been eroding since 2008. This story, no matter how it plays out, probably seals his career fate (if it wasn't already sealed before).

Bradley often behaves as if the world has been out to get him. But a lot of people could say the same thing, yet they haven't acted out with such antisocial behavior. It all can't be someone else's fault. That just won't fly, no matter how wronged you have been. If Bradley ever tried to get the mental and psychological help he apparently needed, it didn't seem to stick. It's an unfortunate situation, all the way around.

____________________"We are the priests
Of the temples of syrinx
Our great computers
Fill the hollowed halls
We are the priests
Of the temples of syrinx
All the gifts of life
Are held within our walls" 2112 By Rush!!

Ryan Leaf sent to prison after threatening drug treatment staffer
Posted by Michael David Smith on January 17, 2013, 1:58 PM EST

Ryan Leaf’s life has taken another sad turn, as he was kicked out of his residential drug treatment program and sent to prison.

The Great Falls Tribune reports that Leaf, who was sent to treatment after twice getting caught stealing prescription painkillers, has been moved from a treatment center to the Montana State Prison in Deer Lodge.

“The Montana Department of Corrections terminated Leaf from the treatment program and placed him in prison after he was found guilty of behavior that violated conditions of his drug treatment placement,” a Montana probation and parole administrator said in a statement. “The violations included threatening a program staff member.”

Leaf got a seven-year sentence for drug and burglary charges in June, but if he was able to successfully complete drug treatment he was expected to serve only about 15 months. It is unclear how much prison time Leaf will now have to serve in Montana. Leaf was previously given a 10-year suspended sentence in Texas in 2010, and he may have to serve some or all of that sentence after completing his time in Montana.

In other words, the No. 2 overall pick in the 1998 NFL draft may be in prison for many years.

____________________"We are the priests
Of the temples of syrinx
Our great computers
Fill the hollowed halls
We are the priests
Of the temples of syrinx
All the gifts of life
Are held within our walls" 2112 By Rush!!

Todd Helton was arrested last night in Colorado and charged with driving under the influence.

Helton was pulled over at 2:39 a.m. and 9-NEWS in Colorado reports that “a witness contacted Thornton Police when they witnessed a black Ford F-150 pick-up truck driving erratically.” He was then booked, processed, and released to a “responsible party.”

Here’s an official statement from the Rockies addressing the arrest:

We were extremely disappointed to learn that Todd was arrested this morning. This type of behavior is taken very seriously by our organization. We know that he clearly understands the seriousness of his poor decision, the harm that could have been inflicted on others and the embarrassment his mistake has caused to himself, his family, the Colorado Rockies organization and to Major League Baseball.

Todd is taking full accountability for his actions with his family, his fans and the organization. The man we have grown to know has strong values that are grounded in his family and hard work. Todd clearly understands the severity of the situation.

As always it’ll be interesting to see the media, fan, and MLB reaction to this relative to, say, steroids stuff.

UPDATE: Helton also released an official statement of his own:

Last evening I exercised poor judgment and was charged with drinking and driving after driving to a gas station near my house. I am very sorry and embarrassed by my actions. I hold myself to a high standard and take my responsibility as a public figure very seriously. My entire career I have worked to set a positive example for my family and in our community and I fell far short of this standard.

I sincerely ask my family, the Colorado Rockies Organization, Major League Baseball and the community to accept my apology. I make no excuses and accept full responsibility for my actions. I humbly ask your forgiveness.

____________________"We are the priests
Of the temples of syrinx
Our great computers
Fill the hollowed halls
We are the priests
Of the temples of syrinx
All the gifts of life
Are held within our walls" 2112 By Rush!!

In a statement released shortly after one was issued by his boss, Alabama head coach Nick Saban confirmed that the four players arrested Monday — running back Brent Calloway, linebacker Tyler Hayes, defensive lineman D.J. Pettway and defensive back Eddie Williams – have been indefinitely suspended. As was the case with athletic director Mal Moore‘s statement, however, Saban did not address their long-term future with the program.

The young men charged are indefinitely suspended as we continue to gather information and talk to the appropriate people. The University and football program have strict guidelines regarding issues of this magnitude. This behavior is unacceptable for any student-athlete at the University of Alabama and not representative of our football program.

Williams was charged with second-degree robbery and fraudulent use of a credit/debit card as the result of two separate incidents that allegedly involved the beating and robbing of two UA students. Hayes and Pettway were charged with second-degree robbery, while Calloway was charged with fraudulent use of a credit/debit card.

The robbery charges the three are facing are felonies.

Williams was also arrested the day before for carrying a pistol without a permit.

____________________"We are the priests
Of the temples of syrinx
Our great computers
Fill the hollowed halls
We are the priests
Of the temples of syrinx
All the gifts of life
Are held within our walls" 2112 By Rush!!

Basketball Hall of Famer Larry Bird’s college-age son could be in a world of trouble if a nasty batch of allegations about the 21-year-old are true. According to police in Bloomington, Ind., Connor Bird allegedly attempted to run his ex-girlfriend over with a car on Sunday after she got out off his vehicle following several arguments.

For Bird, the list of allegations goes on — the Indianapolis Star is reporting that Bird’s list of charges will include “battery with injury, criminal mischief, intimidation with a deadly weapon and possession of marijuana.” So, allegedly, drugs on him while attempting to run someone over with a car. Sound work. Allegedly.

From Bill McCleery at the Star:

Trouble began, police said, after Bird and the ex-girlfriend got into a dispute Sunday at Bird’s Bloomington apartment. Bird threw a cell phone at the female, police said.
Later, police said, Bird waited at his ex-girlfriend’s home and took her to a parking lot to talk things over. There, however, they got into another fight, police said, and the girl got out of Bird’s car with the intent of walking back to her home. That’s when, police said, Bird twice tried to hit the woman with his car. Another IU student witnessed the incident, police said, and took the female to the Indiana University Police Department.

According to TMZ, Connor Bird was also arrested in 2011 for “underaged drinking and disorderly conduct.”

A Texas jury sentenced the son of former NBA player Nick Van Exel to 60 years in prison Friday in the shooting death of a longtime friend.

Nickey Maxwell Van Exel, 22, received the punishment after his father wept on the witness stand and apologized to the family of the victim, Bradley Bassey Eyo. The same jury in Dallas County in North Texas found the younger Van Exel guilty of murder on Thursday.

Prosecutors had sought a capital murder conviction.

Nickey Van Exel fatally shot Eyo in December 2010 and dumped his body at Lake Ray Hubbard on the eastern outskirts of Dallas. His attorney had said the two were playing with a shotgun at Nickey Van Exel's Garland home and that Van Exel didn't know the gun was loaded.

Nick Van Excel, who played 13 seasons in the NBA including a stint with the Dallas Mavericks and is now a player development instructor for the Atlanta Hawks, testified about the happy times he and his son spent together, including with Eyo.

He recalled the time that he took his son and Eyo to a 2006 NBA Finals game in Miami between the Heat and the Mavericks.

"And they were about the only guys there cheering for the Dallas Mavericks," he said. "It's dangerous when you go to an arena cheering for the other team."

The elder Van Exel broke down at one point while speaking in court. He then apologized to Eyo's family.

"I'm really sorry to the Eyo family. Nobody should have to go through something like this. Nobody," he said, as he looked at Eyo's family members who were in the courtroom.

Da’Quan Bowers arrested for carrying gun at airport
Posted by Michael David Smith on February 18, 2013, 5:29 PM EST

Buccaneers defensive end Da’Quan Bowers has been arrested for carrying a gun at an airport.

NBCNewYork.com reports that Bowers was arrested at LaGuardia Airport on Monday morning after police discovered he was illegally carrying a handgun. Bowers had a loaded .40 caliber firearm in his carry-on bag as he was attempting to get on a US Airways flight to Raleigh, North Carolina.

Bowers was charged with second-degree criminal possession of a weapon and is expected to appear in court on Monday evening.

A 2011 second-round draft pick of the Buccaneers, Bowers missed the first six games of the 2012 season with a torn Achilles tendon but returned in time to play in 10 games and record three sacks last season.

____________________"We are the priests
Of the temples of syrinx
Our great computers
Fill the hollowed halls
We are the priests
Of the temples of syrinx
All the gifts of life
Are held within our walls" 2112 By Rush!!

Da’Quan Bowers arrested for carrying gun at airport
Posted by Michael David Smith on February 18, 2013, 5:29 PM EST

Buccaneers defensive end Da’Quan Bowers has been arrested for carrying a gun at an airport.

NBCNewYork.com reports that Bowers was arrested at LaGuardia Airport on Monday morning after police discovered he was illegally carrying a handgun. Bowers had a loaded .40 caliber firearm in his carry-on bag as he was attempting to get on a US Airways flight to Raleigh, North Carolina.

Bowers was charged with second-degree criminal possession of a weapon and is expected to appear in court on Monday evening.

A 2011 second-round draft pick of the Buccaneers, Bowers missed the first six games of the 2012 season with a torn Achilles tendon but returned in time to play in 10 games and record three sacks last season.

The stupidity here is absolutely stunning. I can't wrap my head around what the thought process must have been in deciding it was a good thing to carry a gun in your carry-on bag into an airport.

According to KFVS in Chicago, Webb was arrested Sunday for possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

Webb was released after paying 10 percent of $5,000 in bail. His next court date is in March.

A seventh-round pick in 2010, Webb is signed through 2013, at a base salary of $1.323 million.

UPDATE 2:23 p.m. ET: The Bears have issued a statement regarding the incident. “We are aware of the recent arrest of J’Marcus Webb in Pulaski County, Illinois,” the team said. “We are currently gathering information to learn more about the circumstances surrounding the arrest.”

____________________"We are the priests
Of the temples of syrinx
Our great computers
Fill the hollowed halls
We are the priests
Of the temples of syrinx
All the gifts of life
Are held within our walls" 2112 By Rush!!

When it comes to player arrests, the 2013 offseason has been fairly quiet. But not silent.

Bears tight end Evan Rodriquez was arrested in Miami for resisting arrest without violence, according to CBS Miami.

The “Special Incident Notification Form” obtained by one of our NBC colleagues indicates that the incident occurred at 11:35 p.m. ET on Wednesday. According to the form, Rodriguez was arrested “[a]fter impeding a DUI arrest and refusing to comply with police directives.” (It’s unclear whether Rodriguez or someone else was being arrested for DUI.)

A fourth-round pick in 2012, Rodriguez had a pair of incidents while playing college football. As Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times explained it last year, Rodriguez was accused of felony assault while at West Virginia, following an alleged altercation with a female residence hall advisor. Rodriguez then transferred to Temple, where he was arrested for disorderly conduct.The Bears nevertheless rolled the dice. And the cubes have come up snake eyes.

____________________"We are the priests
Of the temples of syrinx
Our great computers
Fill the hollowed halls
We are the priests
Of the temples of syrinx
All the gifts of life
Are held within our walls" 2112 By Rush!!